PROGRAM HANDBOOK
Adult Development and Aging
Departments of Psychology
Cleveland State University & The University of Akron
August 2015
For students who enter the program on or after Fall 2015
Foreword
Welcome to the Adult Development & Aging program in the Psychology
Department at The University of Akron! We are so glad you selected our
program for your graduate training and delighted to be working with you.
This handbook was designed to provide you with important information
regarding the structure, expectations, requirements, and policies of the
program. In short, this handbook should be the “go to” for guidelines on
the who, what, when, how, and why of your graduate training.
The Adult Development and Aging faculty are dedicated to excellent
scholarship and high standards of achievement in graduate training. The
program is designed to provide students with opportunities to develop into
aging scholars of the highest caliber.
All information in this handbook is in accordance with the graduate
schools at both universities unless otherwise noted.
We wish you the very best as you pursue success in your graduate training
in our program.
Table of Contents
Program Philosophy ........................................................................................ 1
Graduate School Expectations for Coursework ............................................... 1
Graduate School Expectations for GA/TA Assignments ................................... 2
Graduate School Expectations for Research ................................................... 2
Program Faculty ............................................................................................... 3
Core Faculty................................................................................................ 3
Affiliated Faculty........................................................................................... 4
Program Structure............................................................................................ 6
Coursework................................................................................................. 7
Program Sequence ................................................................................... 8
Thesis Requirements and Procedures ......................................................... 10
Deadlines for Master of Arts (MA) ................................................................ 11
Comprehensive Exams .............................................................................. 12
Dissertation Requirements and Procedures .................................................. 13
Deadlines for Dissertation ........................................................................... 13
Brown Bags and Colloquia .......................................................................... 14
Additional Research Opportunities ............................................................... 14
Program Evaluation of Students .................................................................. 14
Faculty Advising......................................................................................... 15
Regulations for Academic Status .............................................................. 16
Standards for Academic Performance .......................................................... 16
Dismissal Policy ......................................................................................... 17
Time Limit and Enrollment Requirements ..................................................... 19
Leave of Absence ...................................................................................... 22
Degree Progress ....................................................................................... 22
Financial Assistance...................................................................................... 24
GA/TA Roles and Responsibilities................................................................ 24
Employment ..................................................................................................... 26
Appendix ..........................................................see Appendix 2015 PDF Portfolio
1
Section
Program Philosophy
In 2012, 13% of the U.S. population was 65 years or older and this number is expected
to more than double by the year 2060 (U. S. Census Bureau, 2013). Aging is emerging
as an important research, teaching, and service area because this segment of the
population is growing so rapidly. The Psychology departments at The University of
Akron and Cleveland State University offer a joint doctoral program in the Psychology of
Adult Development and Aging. We define Adult Development and Aging as the study of
psychological development and change throughout the adult years. Our unique program
is one of only a handful of Adult Development and Aging doctoral programs in the
country, and the only one in the state of Ohio. Our faculty’s core research areas cover
a wide variety of interests including memory, attention, and aging; cognition and
emotion; dementia and psychosocial interventions; resiliency in older adulthood; and the
aging worker.
By the end of doctoral training, our students are well-prepared to work in a number of
roles including academia, medical centers, government agencies, and research
institutes.
Students are trained as researchers with expertise in social, cognitive, and behavioral
aspects of adulthood and aging, who convey existing knowledge through teaching;
students also generate new knowledge through basic and applied research, and
become involved with communities in addressing social issues related to aging. The
program gives students the opportunity to work with multiple faculty members across
two different universities, offering broad exposure to the growing areas of basic and
applied aging research.
Graduate School Expectations for Coursework
Students admitted to the program are required to take approximately equal amounts of
coursework at each institution. The doctoral program in Adult Development and Aging
requires a minimum of 96 semester credit hours of study at Cleveland State University
1
and 90 credit hours at University of Akron. 1 Required coursework covers the areas of 1)
research methods/design, 2) statistics, 3) foundation coursework in adult development
and aging, and, 4) advanced research seminars, including Mental Health and Aging,
Neuropsychology of Aging, Social and Emotional Development in Later Life, and
Cognitive Aging. Students must complete a total of 16 credits of research
methods/design and statistics coursework. Students also will take coursework that may
consist of Independent Reading and Research, Special Topics in Psychology, Special
Problems in Psychology, Thesis, and Dissertation credits. In consultation with their
advisor, students may take elective coursework as well. 2
Graduate School Expectations for GA/TA Assignments
Graduate students receive a tuition waiver and stipend in exchange for a Graduate
Assistantship (GA) or Teaching Assistantship (TA). Graduate students in good standing (i.e.,
meeting program requirements on time) are eligible for renewal of their assistantship each
year for GA or TA funding through their fourth year of study. Funding beyond the fourth year
is contingent upon available departmental resources. Both GA and TA assignments require
20 hours of work per week. Graduate students are expected to meet with their assistantship
supervisor regularly and fulfill the obligations outlined by the supervisor. Because
assistantship assignments at each university are tied to the annual budgeting cycle,
assistantship contracts are renewed on a yearly basis. However, our philosophy is to
provide doctoral students with at least four years of on-going support if possible. This
support is typically in the form of a nine-month stipend and tuition waiver.3
Graduate School Expectations for Research
Graduate students are expected to conduct ethical research studies on aging and adult
development. Both the master’s thesis project and dissertation must be comprised of
empirical research within the domain of adult development and aging. Studies will not be
approved by the committee as appropriate for a MA or PhD from this program if they do not
meet these requirements.
Graduate students must follow all ethical standards of conducting psychological research
including standards described by the Institutional Review Board and standards of
professional conduct with research participants, faculty, peers, and collaborators. Ethical
standards of data reporting must also be followed (see APA guidelines).
1 This difference between the two universities is being considered for change so that both universities require a minimum of 90 credit
hours. The handbook will be updated when and if the proposed changes are accepted.
2 The program is moving toward an elective option so that students will be required to take the 5 Core Courses (Adult Development
& Aging; Neuropsychology of Aging; Social & Emotional Development in Adulthood; Mental Health & Aging; Cognitive Aging), 4
Methodology Courses (Quantitative I; Quantitative II; Research Methods; Multivariate), and 2 electives from the following (Sensory
Motor Processes; Health Psychology; Diversity in Aging; Pharmacology; Sexuality; Industrial Gerontology). The handbook will be
updated when and if the proposed changes are accepted.
3 There may be opportunities for summer support and/or tuition waivers on an individual basis. For example, students at The
University of Akron are eligible to apply for work-study during the summer which provides a stipend and tuition waiver.
2
2
Section
Program Faculty
Designation as Core Faculty or Affiliated Faculty is based on the original designation in
the Ohio Board of Regents proposal for the Adult Development and Aging (ADA)
program.
Core Faculty
Roles: interest in and availability to serve as primary advisor to graduate students in the
program; conduct adult development and aging research; provide leadership to steer
and grow the program; active involvement in ADA curriculum.
Responsibilities: Attend all program faculty meetings and brown bag meetings; serve
on at least one ADA faculty committee; chair own students’ thesis and dissertation
committees; interest in and availability to serve on other students’ thesis and
dissertation committees; teach ADA courses when available and appropriate; active
involvement in comprehensive exams including developing/updating reading lists and
questions, grading written responses, presence and participation at oral
comprehensives, and serving as a primary or secondary reader on the specialty exam.
Name, Title, and Email
Allard, Eric
Institution
CSU
Assistant Professor
[email protected]
Allen, Philip
UA
Professor
[email protected]
Bisconti, Toni
UA
Associate Professor
[email protected]
3
Research Focus
Aging and emotion regulation,
motivation, well-being, eye tracking,
psychophysiology
Perception, attention, memory, word
recognition, event-related potentials,
quantitative models, and aging
Social aging, social support, resilience,
bereavement, daily diary emotion
regulation, ageism, sexuality across
the lifespan
Name, Title, and Email
Judge, Katherine
Institution
CSU
Associate Professor
Senior Research Scientist, MBRI
[email protected]
Kahana, Boaz
CSU
Professor
[email protected]
McLennan, Conor
CSU
Associate Professor
[email protected]
Poreh, Amir
CSU
Professor
[email protected]
Slifkin, Andrew
CSU
Associate Professor
[email protected]
Stanley, Jennifer Tehan
UA
Assistant Professor
[email protected]
Sterns, Harvey
UA
Professor
[email protected]
Research Focus
Dementia, memory loss, Alzheimer's
disease, traumatic brain injury, stroke,
family caregiving, stress process,
cognitive rehabilitation, psychosocial
interventions
Clinical psychology and mental health
and aging; Coping with stress in later
life, negative life events and war
trauma, disablement and aging, LGBT
and aging
Word recognition, speech, language,
perception, cognitive psychology,
aging
Neuropsychological assessment,
memory, executive functioning,
dementia, volumetric MRI,
hippocampal atrophy
Motor control, motor imagery,
movement disorders, action,
perception
Emotion regulation and emotion
perception and aging; social cognition
and aging
Industrial gerontology, spatial maps,
human factors, housing, and aging
Affiliated Faculty
Roles: Consult with students and faculty members on research projects of overlapping
interest; contribute feedback to research within the program; contribute feedback to
program development
Responsibilities: Serve on student thesis and dissertation committees; attend ADA
faculty meetings and brown bags; teach ADA courses; serve as additional readers for
comprehensive exams as needed
Name and Email
Kaut, Kevin
Professor
[email protected]
Institution
UA
Research Focus
Neurobiology of learning and memory in
animal models, age effects on
cognitive/behavioral responses to injury
4
Name and Email
Levant, Ronald
Institution
UA
CSU
Research Focus
Men’s gender role strain, emotional
expression, mental and physical health,
fathering, and masculinity ideology in a
multicultural perspective
Clinical training, psychology and the law
CSU
Memory and health behavior, statistics
UA
Psychology of gender, feminist psychology
Professor
[email protected]
Rakos, Richard
Associate Dean and
Professor
[email protected]
Smith, Albert F.
Associate Professor
[email protected]
Yoder, Janice
Professor
[email protected]
5
3
Section
Program Structure
•
•
•
•
•
The student is required to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA 4;
a minimum of 90 graduate credits at UA and 96 5 at CSU including a 30-credit
master’s program. A student may be required to complete additional credits beyond
the 90 minimum credit requirement;
Completion of Ph.D. core courses in the student’s specialty area: adult
development and aging.
Completion of additional required and elective courses to be planned in conjunction
with the student’s faculty advisor and subject to approval by the adult development
and aging committees.
Completion of Program Milestones for progress toward degree (e.g., master’s
thesis, comprehensive exams, and dissertation).
4 The Graduate School minimum GPA requirement for a student to be in good standing is 3.0. We are currently proposing to increase
this requirement to 3.25 for the ADA program. If and when this is approved, we will update the GPA requirement throughout the
handbook.
5 We are currently working on a curriculum change to reduce the credit hour requirements at CSU to 90 credit hours. If and when this
is approved, we will change it in the handbook.
6
Coursework
6
Required Coursework 7:
Also refer to APPENDIX A: COURSEWORK CHECKLIST
Title
Credits
The following courses must be completed before your Master’s Degree.
Quantitative Methods I
4
Quantitative Methods II
4
Master’s Thesis
1
Adult Development & Aging
4
At least 17 credits must be completed from the following list PRIOR to your Master’s
Degree.
Research Methods
4
Multivariate & Computer Methods in Psychology
4
Teaching of Psychology 8
3
Social and Emotional Development Across the Lifespan
4
Health Psychology in Later Life
4
Cognitive Aging
4
Mental Health & Aging
4
Neuropsychology of Aging
4
Sensory & Motor Processes in Aging / Diversity in Aging
4
Independent Readings and Research (up to 13 hours; Thesis)
4
To be completed prior to graduation with PhD
Dissertation (minimum of 12 hours)
6
variable
Course descriptions will be added after the curriculum change proposals are accepted (being submitted summer 2015).
The program is moving toward an elective option so that students will be required to take the 5 Core Courses (Adult Development
& Aging; Neuropsychology of Aging; Social & Emotional Development in Adulthood; Mental Health & Aging; Cognitive Aging), 4
Methodology Courses (Quantitative I; Quantitative II; Research Methods; Multivariate), and 2 electives from the following (Sensory
Motor Processes; Health Psychology; Diversity in Aging; Pharmacology; Sexuality; Industrial Gerontology). The handbook will be
updated when and if the proposed changes are accepted.
8 This course is only required of the University of Akron students.
7
7
Program Sequence
Adult Development & Aging Generic Course Progression 9
Year 1
Summer II
Teaching of Psychology (UA only)
PSY 699 Master’s Thesis (UA only)
Fall Semester
Quantitative Methods I
Adult Development & Aging
PSY 780 - core course or elective
PSY 780 – Psychology Training
Spring Semester
Quantitative Methods II
up to two – core course
Supplement w PSY 797 – Ind Rdg & Research
PSY 780 – Psychology Training
Year 2
Fall Semester
PSY 780 – core course
PSY 754 – Research Methods
Spring Semester
PSY 780 – Multivariate & Computer Methods in Psych
PSY 780 – core course
Year 3
Spring Semester
Fall Semester
up to two PSY 780 – core course
PSY 780 – core course
Supplement w PSY 797 – Ind Rdg & Research PSY 797 – Independent Reading & Research
Year 4
Fall Semester
PSY 797 – Independent Reading & Research
PSY 899 – Dissertation
Spring Semester
PSY 797 – Independent Reading & Research
PSY 899 – Dissertation
Year 5
Fall Semester
PSY 797 – Independent Reading & Research
PSY 899 – Dissertation
Spring Semester
PSY 797 – Independent Reading & Research
PSY 899 – Dissertation
9 The course progression changes every year because courses are generally offered on a 3 year rotation (with the exception of all
quantitative courses and Adult Development and Aging). Also, some courses can be taken in a student’s second or third year (e.g.,
Research Methods), depending on which other courses are being offered in that particular year.
8
Adult Development & Aging Example Course Progression 10
Year 1
Summer II
PSY 780 – Teaching of Psychology 11
Fall Semester
PSY 601 – Quantitative Methods I
PSY 727 – Adult Development & Aging
PSY 780 – Cognitive Psychology of Aging
Spring Semester
PSY 602 – Quantitative Methods II
PSY 780 – Health Psychology in Later Life
PSY 797 – Independent Reading & Research
Year 2
Fall Semester
PSY 699 – Master’s Thesis
PSY 780 – Mental Health & Aging
PSY 780 – Neuropsychology of Aging
PSY 797 – Independent Reading & Research
Spring Semester
PSY 699 – Master’s Thesis
PSY 780 – Multivariate & Computer Methods in Psych
PSY 780 – Social & Emotional Develop in Adulthood
PSY 797 – Independent Reading & Research
Year 3
Fall Semester
PSY 754 – Research Methods
PSY 797 – Independent Reading & Research
PSY 797 – Independent Reading & Research
Spring Semester
PSY 780 – Sensory & Motor Processes in Aging
PSY 797 – Independent Reading & Research
PSY 797 – Independent Reading & Research
Year 4
Fall Semester
PSY 797 – Independent Reading & Research
PSY 899 – Dissertation
Spring Semester
PSY 797 – Independent Reading & Research
PSY 899 – Dissertation
Year 5
Fall Semester
PSY 797 – Independent Reading & Research
PSY 899 – Dissertation
Spring Semester
PSY 797 – Independent Reading & Research
PSY 899 – Dissertation
10
Please note that this is one potential sequence of the ADA curriculum.
11
For UA students only
9
Thesis Requirements and Procedures
All students in the ADA program must complete a thesis12. A thesis is an empirical study of
publishable quality within the domain of adult development and aging. Thesis committees
are comprised of 3 members: the major advisor and at least one additional ADA faculty
member at UA and one additional ADA faculty member at CSU. The student must obtain
approval to conduct the study from his or her master’s thesis committee prior to data
collection. For the proposal, the student distributes a proposal document to their committee
before a proposal defense meeting. Once the study is complete, and to fulfill the
requirements for a master’s degree, students must defend the thesis. For the thesis
defense, students distribute a complete manuscript of the empirical study to his or her thesis
committee prior to the defense meeting. Committee members decide whether the student
has passed the thesis requirements based on the document and defense meeting and the
degree to which the product meets the approved proposal.
A student may begin work on his or her thesis research project at any time after admission
to the graduate program realizing that he/she must meet all M.A. degree requirements as
specified by the Graduate School/Graduate College and the Department of Psychology for
successful completion of the program. Students must be continuously enrolled until
completion of their M.A. degree. Failure to maintain continuous enrollment without receiving
prior program approval for a leave of absence will result in a student being dropped from his
or her degree program.
The University of Akron
Students at The University of Akron have the option to complete a Thesis Waiver rather than
a Thesis. All of the requirements described above apply to both the Thesis Waiver and
Thesis options. The only difference between the two is that the Thesis Waiver does not
need to go through the Graduate School (which requires more lead time to be eligible for
graduation and specific formatting requirements so the document can be bound).
Students who have chosen the Thesis Waiver option must register for at least one credit
hour of Master’s Thesis. Students who complete a thesis will receive a grade of “CR.”
Students who waive the thesis will receive a “PI” for Master’s Thesis credits. Students
completing a Master’s Thesis will need to register for a total of 8 credits.
The Thesis option does need to go through the Graduate School. See Graduate School
webpage for guidelines and deadlines.
Cleveland State University
More information about the thesis requirements and format for Cleveland State University
students can be found on The College of Graduate Studies Thesis & Dissertation page.
12 The only exception is if a previous master’s thesis has been approved for transfer by the ADA faculty. See section on Transfer of
Credits.
10
Deadlines for Master of Arts (MA)
Program deadlines, requirements, and forms are identical for the master’s thesis and
the master’s thesis waiver options. (There are additional graduate school
requirements for the master’s thesis and thesis wavier options beyond those described
below). Students can keep track of their progress using APPENDIX B: PROGRAM
MILESTONES CHECKLIST.
Master’s Proposal Defense
The deadline for completing the master’s proposal defense is April 1 of the first year.
Students must schedule the committee meeting and distribute the proposal document to
the members of their committee at least two weeks in advance of the committee
meeting. At this time, the Master’s Thesis Proposal Defense Timeline Form is due to the
Program Chair. Students must obtain the signatures of their advisor, committee
members, and the Program Chair at their university. This completed form is due to the
Program Chair at least two weeks prior to the scheduled defense meeting, but no later
than March 15 (see APPENDIX C: MASTER’S THESIS FORMS).
Upon approval of the master’s proposal defense, the Master’s Thesis Proposal Approval
Form is due to the Program Chair (deadline is April 1 of the first year; see APPENDIX C:
MASTER’S THESIS FORMS).
If there are extenuating circumstances that preclude the student defending their thesis
proposal by April 1 of the first year, the student must request permission to defer the
proposal defense from the Program Chair by completing the Petition to Defer Master’s
Proposal Defense Form by March 1 of the first year (APPENDIX C: MASTER’S THESIS
FORMS).
Master’s Thesis Defense
The deadline for completing the master’s thesis defense is April 1 of the second year.
Students must schedule the committee meeting and distribute the thesis document to
the members of their committee at least two weeks in advance of the committee
meeting. At this time, the Master’s Thesis Defense Timeline Form is due to the Program
Chair. Students must obtain the signatures of their advisor, committee members, and
the Program Chair at their university. This completed form is due to the Program Chair
at least two weeks prior to the scheduled defense meeting, and no later than March 15
(see APPENDIX C: MASTER’S THESIS FORMS).
Upon committee approval of the master’s thesis defense, the Master’s Thesis Defense
Approval Form is due to the Program Chair (deadline is April 1 of second year; see
APPENDIX C: MASTER’S THESIS FORMS).
Any deviation from the above deadlines must be petitioned in writing (APPENDIX C:
MASTER’S THESIS FORMS for petition form) no later than March 1 of a student’s second
year.
11
Comprehensive Exams
Students complete comprehensive exams following their third year in the program and
after they have completed the required coursework. There are three sections to the
ADA Comprehensive Examination:
(1) The written comprehensive examination will be held on the Monday and Tuesday
of the third week in June;
(2) The oral examination will be held the first Monday after the 4th of July; and
(3) the student’s specialty exam, which is a literature review in the student’s area of
interest or a dissertation prospectus, is due to his/her committee by October 1.
1. The written examination consists of eight questions covering topics relevant to all
students pursuing a doctoral degree in ADA psychology (including methodology and
statistics). The written comprehensive examination will be administered over the
course of two eight-hour days (four questions per day). It will consist of essay
questions covering all areas in which the students take courses in the ADA field. The
questions will be written and reviewed (graded) by the ADA faculty. The goal of the
examination is to assess students’ breadth of knowledge – including their ability to
integrate and apply this knowledge in the ADA field.
2. The oral examination is conducted by the full ADA faculty from both UA and CSU
and will be an oral defense of the written portion of the exam, in addition to any
general-knowledge information the faculty would like to include from the reading list
or ADA courses. The goal of the oral examination is to give students an opportunity
to defend their written responses and further discuss their knowledge base in adult
development and aging at a scholarly level.
3. The take-home specialty exam requires the student to write a literature review or
dissertation prospectus. This paper should include theoretical background for the
student’s area of interest. It should be a 25-page paper or prospectus and should be
submitted to his/her Dissertation advisor, the Program Chair, and one more
committee member as a second reader (to be determined by the student in
conjunction with his/her Advisor).
Grading
For the written general comprehensive exam, two readers will be assigned to each
question and will assess answers on a scale of 1-5. An average score (over readers) of
at least 3 is needed to “pass” that question. A “pass” is necessary on at least 6
questions in order for a student to successfully complete comps. If a student does not
pass the written portion of the comprehensive exams, then he/she may not take the oral
portion. Additionally, he or she will be required to retake the sections that were missed
before the end of the fall semester. If passed, orals will be given in the first week of the
spring semester.
12
The oral examination is conducted by the full program faculty: Each question from the
written examination will be covered; in addition, faculty may ask questions about
readings on the reading list. Students are again required to pass 6/8 of the questions. If
a student passes the written exam, but not the oral exam, the student will be permitted
to retake the oral examination once (within 1 month) over the questions that he/she did
not pass.
The specialty exam is evaluated by the advisor and the second reader. Each reader will
give a pass/fail assessment, in addition to giving the student specific feedback on the
document. The student must turn in the completed Comprehensive Exams Form found
in APPENDIX D: COMPREHENSIVE EXAMS FORM to the Program Chair by November 1 of
his/her fourth year.
If a student fails either the written or oral portion of the comprehensive exam twice, the
student is dismissed from program.
Dissertation Requirements and Procedures
For a Dissertation, the committee is composed of a minimum of 5 committee members,
including the Dissertation Advisor, 3 additional ADA faculty members, and 1 member from
outside either Psychology Department. Of the three additional ADA members, one faculty
member must be from the other University.
Deadlines for Dissertation
The deadline for completing the Dissertation proposal defense is April 1 of the fourth
year. Students must schedule the committee meeting and distribute the proposal
document to the members of their committee at least two weeks in advance of the
committee meeting.
Students must obtain the signatures of their advisor, committee members, and the Chair
of the ADA Program at their university. This completed form is due to the Chair of the
ADA Program at least two weeks prior to the scheduled defense meeting, and no later
than March 15 (APPENDIX E: DISSERTATION FORMS).
Any deviation from the above deadlines must be petitioned in writing (please get form
online) no later than March 1 of a student’s first year (for Proposal) or a student’s
second year (for Defense).
Students can also refer to APPENDIX B: PROGRAM MILESTONES CHECKLIST to keep track of
their progress through the program.
13
Brown Bags and Colloquia
Graduate students are required to attend all Brown Bags and Colloquia. The purpose of
brown bags is to give students an opportunity to formally present research to faculty and
their peers and receive feedback. Brown bags are also instructive for students who are not
presenting as examples of academic presentation styles.
Each cohort will be designated to present at least twice throughout their graduate training.
Dates for brown bags will be distributed during the first week of classes each semester. If
there is an emergency or teaching obligation that interferes with a student’s ability to attend
a brown bag, his/her advisor and Program Chair must be notified prior to the event. If a
student cannot make the brown bag in which he/she is scheduled to present, then he/she
must present at the next brown bag.
Periodically, the faculty will distribute information about colloquia on topics relevant to the
ADA program. Students are expected to attend colloquia as these provide additional training
and learning opportunities.
Additional Research Opportunities
Established relationships with Cleveland-area medical and research institutions allow
students to gain experience in more applied research settings.
Program Evaluation of Students
All ADA students will undergo a formal yearly review in which they will complete the End of
Year Graduate Student Evaluation Form (found in APPENDIX F: END OF YEAR EVALUATION
FORMS), meet with their advisor, and then provide a fully-signed-off copy and CV to their
respective Program Chair no later than 5 p.m. April 30.
Each student is evaluated by the program committee based on his/her academic
performance, research and/or teaching activity, degree progress, and professional conduct.
More specifically, in the spring of each year, every graduate student must prepare a written
self-examination that includes (at minimum):
a. Grades in content courses for the last year
b. Research progress
c. Teaching and other appropriate experiences
d. A curriculum vita
e. Professional/departmental contributions
This self-evaluation will be prompted by the student's program area chair, and the
materials must be given to the student's advisor prior to evaluation by the whole
committee in the student's area. Failure to provide this evaluation constitutes inadequate
progress and may result in loss of assistantship or dismissal. Feedback based on an
14
evaluation of the student’s progress will be given to each student regarding performance in
graduate classes, performance in required research activity (e.g., thesis/thesis waiver and
dissertation); teaching proficiency (or other assistantship responsibilities), performance in
additional, non-required research activity (e.g., presentations, publications, assistance with
grant proposals, etc.), and professional development (e.g., student initiative and
independence, program/department citizenship, etc.).
Students will be evaluated on meeting program milestones, coursework, research
productivity, teaching responsibilities, and professional development and/or service
activities. The full faculty will formally discuss each student’s progress to date along with
directive feedback. Each student will then meet with his/her Advisor and the Program Chair
to discuss and develop new goals for the upcoming academic year.
Faculty Advising
Students are encouraged to work closely with their primary advisor for guidance, direction,
and feedback for their career development. Students also should feel comfortable seeking
advising from Program Chairs and other ADA faculty. It is the responsibility of the student to
seek assistance or help when needed.
In addition to working with their primary advisor, students may benefit from working with
other ADA faculty at either university. Additionally, students’ research interests may change
while in the program and as such, students are able to switch their primary advisors and
work with faculty from either University (see APPENDIX G: ADVISOR SWITCH FORM).
15
4
Section
Regulations for Academic Status
Standards for Academic Performance
We follow the policies relevant to the program as outlined by the CSU and Akron Graduate
School Handbooks. These state that the Dean of Graduate Studies at each respective
university may dismiss anyone who fails to make satisfactory progress toward declared
goals or who accumulates 6 semester credits of C+/B- or below; 3 semester credits of F.
Mandatory dismissal can result from 6 semester hours of F; 9 semester hours of B- or below
and a GPA less than 3.013.
Within the program, student performance is evaluated annually with the program’s Student
Evaluation Criteria. To maintain eligibility for the ADA program, all students must make
acceptable progress toward their degree and attain at least a 3.0 GPA in their content
courses each year. Content courses include all required and elective courses which are
counted toward the student’s degree requirements. The calculation of this GPA is creditweighted. Students who fall below this GPA in a given year are considered to be on
“probation” in the program and must attain a 3.0 GPA in their courses in the following year.
Students who fall below this GPA in two of their first three years will be dismissed from the
program. For purposes of this policy, a year refers to the period from June 1 to May 31. Parttime students or students on leave must meet an equivalent requirement that will be
determined by the student’s advisor and area committee in consultation with the student.
Any student receiving a grade of C+ or below in any graduate course will be required to do
remedial work in that course. Such remedial work will be planned in discussion with the
course instructor and the student’s advisor. The student will prepare a written summary of
the remedial plan to be signed by the student, the instructor, and the advisor, and following
that, it must be approved by the Program Chair. If the remedial work includes retaking the
course, both the original and retake grade will be used in computing GPAs. However, no
course may be counted more than once toward degree requirements. No course may be
repeated more than once, and a course may only be repeated if the original grade is C+ or
below.
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This is currently in the process of being changed from 3.0 to 3.25 via a curriculum change process at each university.
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Dismissal Policy
Students making unsatisfactory academic progress will be dismissed from their respective
graduate programs. For purposes of dismissal, unsatisfactory academic progress is defined
as follows:
Optional dismissal
If in a 400-800 level course, a student receives:
a. one grade of F, or
b. two grades of less than B-, or
c. two grades of NS,
then the individual MUST be reviewed by the Program Committee to determine the
student’s ability to continue in graduate school. If the Program Committee determines that
dismissal is in order, this recommendation is made to the Dean of Graduate Studies of the
student’s respective University for review and notification of the student.
Academic warning
If it is determined that the student may continue in the program, the Program Committee will
notify the Dean of Graduate Studies and the student, in writing, regarding the grounds under
which continuation is possible. In addition, an “Academic Warning” notice will be recorded
on the student’s official grade report for that semester.
Mandatory dismissal
Mandatory dismissal from the program can result from any one of the following:
In 400-800 level courses a student receives
a. two F grades
b. accumulation of nine credit hours of B- or less grades
c. below 3.00 GPA in coursework (excluding thesis, dissertation, and independent
courses) persisting for two consecutive semesters
For general program requirements a student
a. has two consecutive terms of probationary academic status
b. has two failures of the Doctoral Comprehensive Examination
c. fails to maintain a 3.5 GPA in content courses for two of their first three years.
The procedure for academic dismissal is as follows: (I) the Program Chair or
student's advisor will make a written recommendation for academic dismissal to
program faculty; (2) the program faculty will review the student's performance and
vote on the Program Chair's or advisor's recommendation; (3) if a majority of the
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program faculty agree with the recommendation, the Program Chair must make a
written recommendation to the department chair, stating the reason(s) for academic
dismissal; (4) the department chair, if he/she agrees with the recommendation, will
send a letter to the student informing him/her of the recommendation; (5) the student
will have 21 days from the date of the letter to resign, petition for reconsideration, or
be dismissed from the program; (6) if the student does not respond within 21 days,
the department chair will make a written recommendation for dismissal to the Dean
of Graduate Studies, stating the reason(s) for academic dismissal.
As stated above, students recommended for dismissal may petition for
reconsideration. The procedure is as follows: (1) the petition must be signed by the
student and acknowledged by his/her advisor, stating the reason(s) for requesting
reconsideration; (2) the student or advisor must submit the petition to the Program
Chair; (3) the Program Chair will consult with the other Program Chair and form a
panel consisting of at least one member from each program; (4) the panel will review
the program committee's decision and the student's academic performance and vote
on the initial dismissal decision; (5) if a majority of the panel agree with the
dismissal, the panel will make a written recommendation to the department chair; (6)
the department chair, if he/she agrees with the recommendation, will send a letter to
the student informing him/her of the recommendation; (7) the student will have 14
days from the date of the letter to resign; (8) if the student does not resign within 14
days, the department chair will make a written recommendation for dismissal to the
Dean of Graduate Studies, stating the reason(s) for academic dismissal.
Re-admission
An academically dismissed student who is readmitted to the program will again be
dismissed by the Graduate College if the individual receives in 400-800-level
courses:
a. One or more grades of F, or
b. Two grades of B- or less
A graduate student who receives a second academic dismissal is not eligible
for further graduate study within the program or respective University.
Re-admission procedures
An academically dismissed student who has been separated from the respective
University for twelve or more months may request permission to be re-admitted to his or
her prior program. Such requests are reviewed and acted upon by the Graduate
Program Committee of the unit.
An academically dismissed student who has been separated from the University for less
than twelve months may petition for early re-admission. Early re-admission petitions
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must provide an explanation of the factors responsible for the student’s poor academic
performance and present a convincing case for why he/she is now prepared to succeed.
The petition should be submitted to the unit’s Graduate Program Committee. The
committee shall act on the petition and present a step-by-step academic “game plan”
that will lead to the completion of the program. The plan presented must have the full
support of the student’s Graduate Program. The petition, recommendations and “game
plan” will be presented to the College of Graduate Studies Petitions Committee, whose
decision shall be final.
Time Limit and Enrollment Requirements
Consistent with the time limits and requirements stated in the Graduate Handbooks
for each University, the program expects that students complete degree requirements
within a reasonable period of time. All doctoral requirements must be completed
within l 0 years of starting coursework. This refers to graduate work after receipt of a
master's degree or the completion of 30 semester credits or whichever comes earlier.
Extensions of up to one year may be granted by the Graduate School under unusual
circumstances upon written request of the student and recommendation by the
advisor and department chair.
If a student fails to submit a final copy of the dissertation to the Graduate School
within four years of successfully meeting the comprehensive exam requirement, that
student will be required to retake the exam.
Students should consult with their advisor and notify the department/program in
writing of any proposed changes in their status (e.g., withdrawal from classes,
change from full- to part-time student, non-registration during a semester, etc.).
In order to continue working with faculty toward a degree and in order to remain in
good standing with the Graduate School, students (once they begin working on thesis,
thesis waiver project, and/or dissertation) must register for a minimum of one credit
hour each fall and spring semester until all degree requirements are met. Summer
enrollment is required if the student is planning a summer graduation. It is the
student's responsibility to maintain continuous registration. Failure to register
continuously without receiving prior program approval for a leave of absence will result
in a student being dropped from his or her degree program.
It is expected that most graduate students will continue their studies and research
during the summer. This is an excellent time to engage in thesis, dissertation, or
other research.
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Procedures for Course Waiver/Exemption/Substitution Petitions
a. See APPENDIX H: PETITION FOR W AIVER OF COURSE/TRANSFER OF CREDIT.
Petitions must be written by the student and acknowledged with the student’s
advisor’s signature.
b. All petitions should be addressed to the chair of the program committee prior to
circulation. He/she will make sure that (a) the course(s) in question are on the
student’s transcript; if these courses are not on the transcript, the petition will
be returned to the student’s advisor, and (b) the necessary approvals—from
the advisor and course instructor(s), if necessary—and documentation are
attached. If the petition is in order, the graduate secretary will stamp an
acknowledgment on the petition, copy it, and deliver it to the Program Chair for
approval and circulation.
c. Petitions involving course waiver/exemption must first be approved and signed
by the faculty member in whose jurisdiction the course lies. If the petition is for
an elective course not directly comparable to what is offered in the respective
Psychology Departments, this step is not necessary. Students are expected to
complete all courses listed as required or petition in advance for course
substitution.
d. Course waiver/exemption/substitution petitions, which involve transfer work,
must have the syllabus for the course attached. The petition should state the
(a) school at which the course was taken, (b) course name, (c) course number,
(d) term in which the course was taken, (e) number of credit hours, and (f)
grade received. The petition should be written with reference to the respective
Graduate School Handbook in effect when the student entered, indicating the
correct category in which the course will be applied.
e. As a final step, the Program Chair will write a memo to the student
documenting the decision. A copy of this memo will be sent to the Graduate
School, and if the petition involves transfer work, the area chair will write a
memo to the Dean of the Graduate School requesting that the courses be
transferred.
Students Entering with Master’s Degree
Students entering with a master’s degree who completed an empirical study in
adulthood and aging as part of their master’s degree requirements (i.e., a research
thesis) may petition to transfer their master’s thesis to this program. The student’s
advisor and 2 other readers, one from each university, will read the thesis and
determine whether the thesis meets the standard of quality in the program.
In addition to program, department, and graduate school approval detailed below
separately for each institution, students who wish to transfer credits from a previous
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institution to the Adult Development and Aging program must meet the following
minimum requirements:
1. All graduate transfer credit must have been earned at an accredited graduate
college or university.
2. A student seeking transfer credit must have full admission and be in good
academic standing at The University Akron/Cleveland State University and the
school in which the credits were earned.
3. All transfer credit must be at the “A” or “B” level (4.00 to 3.00) in graduate
courses.
4. The credits must be relevant to the student’s program as determined by the
student’s academic department.
5. A student who seeks to enroll in courses elsewhere for transfer credit here
must receive prior approval.
6. Transfer credit shall not be recorded until a student has completed 12
semester credits at The University of Akron/Cleveland State University with a
grade-point average of 3.00 or better.
7. Transfer credit from other institutions will not be computed as part of a
student’s University of Akron/Cleveland State University grade-point average.
8. Individual course transfer of credit must fall within the time limit to complete
degree requirements of the program (6 years for master’s/10 years for
doctoral).
9. A block transfer of credit does not apply toward the student’s time limit.
The University of Akron
Students accepted into the Ph.D. Program with a Master’s Degree will have 34 credits
transferred; however, the expectation will be that the student will be required to
participate in our full curriculum and thesis requirements. Students can request an
exception to this by demonstrating that certain coursework they have already had can
be substituted for a required course in the program. In order to do this, paper work
must be completed that includes the instructor of the course, the advisor and the
Program Chair signing off on the petition. See APPENDIX H: PETITION FOR W AIVER OF
COURSE/TRANSFER OF CREDIT.
No more than 1/3 of the total credits required for a master’s degree may be
transferred from an accredited college or university. Up to one-half of the total credits
above the baccalaureate required in a doctoral program may be transferred from an
accredited college or university. No more than 30 semester credits may be
transferred from a single master’s degree.
Because students with a master’s degree have already accrued 34 graduate credit
hours from another institution, the student and the advisor should monitor the
cumulative credit hours to ensure they do not exceed 173 credit hours. Once a
student researches 174 cumulative credit hours, even if the credit hours from the
previous institution do not count toward the requirements of the current degree
program, the student is no longer eligible to receive a graduate assistantship that is
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funded by the graduate school allocated monies.
Cleveland State University
Transfer credit cannot exceed 9 graduate semester hours for master’s degree
students, and 1/3 of the total hours required for doctoral degree students. Students
must complete the Graduate Credit Transfer Form found on the College of Graduate
Studies Downloadable Forms page.
Class and Department Examinations
Students are required to appear for all their scheduled class examinations and for
any scheduled Specialty or Comprehensive examinations. If a student must miss a
scheduled examination (Specialty or Comprehensive Examination), the student must
notify the examination committee who will review medical and other documentation
regarding reasons for absence from an exam and present a recommendation to the
faculty. It is the student's responsibility to meet eligibility requirements when
registering for Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination. Requirements for the Ph.D.
Comprehensive Examination include: 1) maintenance of a 3.5 GPA in content
courses each year for at least two of the first three years in the program; 2) 3.00 GPA
overall; 3) completion of M.A. thesis or thesis waiver; and 4) completion of other
specified program requirements.
Leave of Absence
Students who want to take a leave of absence from the department must petition the
program area faculty. The petition should include the reason for the requested leave
and its anticipated duration. Students should be aware that a departmental leave of
absence does not alter graduate school timelines for degree completion.
Degree Progress
Recommended progress is defined as follows for fall entrance students in the full-time
program:
Thesis and Thesis Waiver
April 1st of the first year—M.A. proposal accepted and on file
April 1st of second year—written draft of completed research project submitted to review
committee.
To keep on track, you should begin thinking of topics and develop a problem statement as
early as possible. Also, keep in mind that an acceptable proposal may involve only a 5-15page problem statement with hypotheses and a methods section. The full literature review
may be done later. You should meet with your advisor as early as possible in your graduate
career to discuss research ideas.
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Dissertation
April 1 of fourth year—proposal accepted and on file
It is expected that students entering the program with a B.A. should complete both the M.A.
and Ph.D. programs within five years. Those entering the program with an M.A. should
complete the Ph.D. program within four years.
UNACCEPTABLE progress will be defined according to the following timetable:
Thesis and Thesis Waiver
April 1st of second year—proposal not yet accepted by committee
April 1st of third year—thesis not yet completed
Dissertation
January of 5th year—proposal not yet accepted
January of 6th year—dissertation not yet completed
Consequences of unacceptable progress may include formal letters noting unacceptable
progress, which will be put in the student’s file as part of usual, yearly evaluations of
graduate students.
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5
Section
Financial Assistance
Graduate research and teaching assistantships, and internships are available.
Graduate research and teaching assistantships involve commitment of approximately
20 hours per week beginning fall semester through the end of spring semester.
Typically these assistantships are for a 9 month period so there is no stipend in the
summer, but a tuition waiver for the summer following the assistantship is included.
Research assistantships are derived primarily from external funding obtained by
individual faculty members.
CSU
Continuing students must request consideration for assistantship
reappointment/appointment by submitting a Graduate Assistantship Application Form
with an updated C.V. to the Psychology Department prior to April 1 of each year.
Appointments/reappointments are made competitively based on degree progress and
other factors (e.g., funds available, student expertise).
UA
Because assistantship assignments at UA are tied to our annual budgeting cycle, we
must renew assistantship contracts on a yearly basis. However, our philosophy is to
provide doctoral students with at least four years of on-going support if possible. This
support is typically in the form of a nine-month stipend and a full, year-long, tuition
waiver, although it may also take the form of a paid internship. We have been quite
successful at this goal in the past and anticipate also being so in the future. In addition
to the stipend that covers the Fall and Spring semesters, in previous years most of our
doctoral students have also been able to get summer support through sources such as
work-study assignments to department faculty, departmental teaching or research, and
consulting or internship projects.
Students are responsible for monitoring their enrollment status. After completion of
174 credit hours they are ineligible (per the Graduate School) for further GA
funding.
GA/TA Roles and Responsibilities
Students are assigned assistantships by the department. Graduate assistantships may
consist of conducting research with a faculty member or administrative work. Teaching
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assistantships may require supporting the instructor-of-record with grading, teaching, recordkeeping, curriculum development, etc. or students may be assigned as the instructor-ofrecord. In all cases, students should meet early and regularly with their faculty supervisor to
ensure they are meeting the expectations of the role. The standard assistantship is 20 hours
per week of work.
University of Akron
Students in their first year are conventionally assigned to teach 1 section of Introductory to
Psychology each semester (please note: some students who are funded through a faculty
research grant or who work in the Lifespan Institute may not teach). In the student’s second
and third year, he/she will likely teach Introductory to Psychology or TA one of our larger or
more work intensive courses, under the direct supervision of a faculty member (e.g.,
Experimental Psychology, Developmental Psychology). For post-comprehensive exam
students, their own section of quantitative methods, developmental psychology, or another
200-300 level undergraduate course will become options for their teaching assignments in
addition to those that were available to them in previous years. These teaching assignments
are expected to be managed in addition to all research and coursework responsibilities.
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6
Section
Employment
All graduate students in the Department of Psychology are required to become
actively engaged in research and/or teaching activities as part of their graduate
training. Therefore, graduate students receiving university assistantships may not be
employed outside the assistantship when school is in session. Any outside
employment activities should be planned in consultation with the faculty advisor
and/or area chair. This expectation applies to all students regardless of specialty area,
degree option, or graduate assistant status.
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